🤑 My Top Finds, Latest Deals, and Best Recommendations (3/8/25)
This week, we'll cover: the best AI tools, insurance planning for fires & more, how to earn 5x on insurance payments and tax prep in March, free year of Calm mediation app, new Flying Blue Promo Rewards, 5% off gift cards and more.
Note: American Express is a ChrisHutchins.com advertiser
🎙 Mailbag: AI Tools, Insurance Planning for Fires & More
My good friend Kevin Rose joined me for another Q&A episode where we talk everything from the best AI tools to takeaways from losing a home in the LA fires to the benefits of rope training and saunas. We also discuss strategies for optimizing home insurance, how to think about where to live, and answer more of your questions. If you want to share a question for a future episode, please share it here.
🛫 Travel, Points & Miles
🏨 Free Night Anywhere with New Welcome Offers
You can currently earn a Free Night Reward, good at any category property in addition to big welcome bonuses. The offer is available on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (which we got last year), but it's also on the no-fee Hilton Honors American Express Card (more on rates and fees here).
💸 5x in March on Insurance Payments and Tax Prep
Chase is offering a surprise bonus of 5% cash back on insurance and tax preparation service payments made on the Chase Freedom Flex® and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® between 3/1 and 3/31. The bonus category is limited to $1,500 in spending, which includes the regular quarterly bonus categories (Q1 categories are grocery stores, fitness clubs, and hair, nails, and spa services). Make sure to register here to qualify.
💺 Flying Blue Promo Rewards for March 2025
Air France-KLM's Flying Blue program's March 2025 Promo Rewards is offering a 25% discount on economy award flights between Europe and Detroit, Mexico City, Seattle, Washington, Austin and Boston. There are also business-class options to Ottawa starting at 45k miles and to Panama City and San Jose (SJO) for 63,750 miles. Book before 3/31 for travel until 8/31.
🛏️ 15% Off Award Nights at New IHG Properties
IHG One Rewards is offering 15% off award nights at new and revamped properties, including the Iberostar properties in Aruba, Malaga, and Tunisia, and Noku Maldives. This offer is valid for stays through 3/31, 4/30, and 5/31, depending on the property.
🛍️ Up to 1k Bonus Points on Southwest Shopping Portal
You can earn up to 1,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points via the Southwest shopping portal until 3/17. Spend $100 to earn 500 or $300 to earn 1,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points.
👑 MGM Rewards Tier Status Match Challenge
MGM Rewards has brought back its Status Match Challenge. Until 7/31, you can get an instant match to MGM Gold or Platinum using a loyalty card from an eligible competitor (list here). Plus, you can extend the status beyond the initial 90 days if you complete the challenge requirements.
🤑 Latest Deals
🎁 5% Off Gift Cards with U.S. Bank Cards
Have a U.S. Bank debit/credit card? You can get a 5% discount when purchasing gift cards for shopping, travel, dining and entertainment on the U.S Bank gift card site. Thanks for sharing this Ford!
⚾ Redeem Capital One Miles for Exclusive MLB Tickets
Capital One cardholders can access exclusive field-level MLB tickets by redeeming only 5,000 miles each via the Capital One Entertainment portal. These tickets will be available for the next two months with limited availability (usually only 4 tickets per game), so it's a good idea to secure them ASAP.
⛷️ 2025-2026 Epic Passes on Sale!
After a successful ski trip with the kids this year, we're thinking seriously about getting an Epic Pass next year. They're now on sale for next season and offering 10 free buddy passes as an early bird deal. The competing Ikon Pass goes on sale next week on 3/12.
💳 Latest Card-Linked Offers
Card-linked offers are a great way to save on shopping you’re already doing and there are a bunch of great ones I've recently found, including getting a free year of the Calm Meditation app.
- Calm Meditation App: 100% back (up to $69.99)
- Prenuvo Full Body MRI: $600 off $2499+
- Lifeforce Biomarker Testing: $300 of $599+
- JetBlue: $25 off $250
- IKEA: 10% off (up to $27)
- Kroger: 10% off (up to $9)
- Lululemon: $20 off $100+
- Southwest Airlines: 10% off (up to $40)
- Office Depot/Max: 5%-15% off
- Vail Resorts: 10k Bonus Rewards points on $500
- Big Sky Ski Resort: $50 off $250
- Select gift cards: 10% off when you redeem Citi points
Note: Not every cardmember might see these offers, but if you want to automate them, try CardPointers Pro with 30% off here.
🕵️ Great Finds
📱 Invite Code for $0/mo Helium Mobile Plan (No CC)
Last month I shared how you can get a free “Zero Plan” (no credit card required) from Helium Mobile including 3GB of data, 300 texts and 100 mins of calls—but you had to join a waitlist. I finally got in and have a referral code to skip the waitlist: 5XNO54A. Note they do require location services turned on to get the free plan.
📺 Show Recommendation: Zero Day
I enjoyed this new Netflix conspiracy mini-series where Robert DeNiro is in charge of investigating a cyberattack in the US. It has mixed reviews from critics, but I love this genre and only being 6 episodes makes it an easy watch!
Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Hi, I'm Chris Hutchins 👋
Founder / Host
I love sharing my quest to optimize and upgrade my life. Previously I was Head of New Product Strategy at Wealthfront, co-founder and CEO of Grove (acquired by Wealthfront), co-founder of Milk (acquired by Google) and a Partner at GV, where I focused on seed and early stage investments.
💳 Increased Hotel Card Offers: Marriott & Hilton
